Greetings, Samantha!
Welcome to planDisney! I hope that you are getting excited about your upcoming trip to The Most Magical Place on Earth. You picked a great year to visit!
The World's Most Magical Celebration is in full swing, and will still be going strong when you arrive. July will be here before you know it, so let's talk ride requirements for kids.
Samantha, as a mom of three children who are not all close in age, I completely relate to this question! We had many trips where someone was the odd man out in a minecart or was absolutely not going on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. And the five of us never fit in the same Doom Buggy, even when they were the tiniest of Guests. So, what are the ride policies for children? I will start with your inquiry about your eldest children riding together.
Current policy states that to board an attraction, Guests under the age of 7 must be accompanied by a person age 14 or older. This means that your older children can ride an attraction together! There are some
attractions with height requirements, so be sure to check the list ahead of time to avoid disappointment. The two younger kids will need to ride with a Guest over 14 at all times. So, if you all want to experience Under The Sea~ Journey of the Little Mermaid, your older two can ride in one clamshell and you can ride with the under 7 crew in another. And there are some attractions that will accommodate 5-6 Guests in the same vehicle, like The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, "it's a small world", and Jungle Cruise. These are great options for keeping the whole family together for ride photos and silly memories.
If you are traveling with another adult I also recommend checking out the
Rider Switch Service offered to Guests. This is a great way for all adults in the travel party to enjoy attractions with height requirements or thrilling drops with the older, and sometimes more adventurous kids in the group. One adult takes the non-riding children to a wait while the other enjoys the attraction with the interested travelers. Then you switch! This way both adults get to experience the thrills of Splash Mountain, without an extra wait time. Check with a Cast Member at the attraction entrance to set up this option.
I hope that your upcoming adventure is memorable and magical!
We'll see ya real soon,
Tammy